Here’s a second draft of my mentalist class, renamed the Mindweaver.
Here’s a second draft of my mentalist class, renamed the Mindweaver. Much thanks to the folks who provided commentary and perspectives that led me to a better realization of just what it is I’m trying to do here.
I’ve got the first draft of my Psion class ready for comment, I think.
I’ve got the first draft of my Psion class ready for comment, I think. Inspirations for this include fantasy and sci-fantasy authors like Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Julian May, and Katherine Kurtz, and comic-book psychics back to Claremont/Cockrum X-Men and Levitz/Sherman Legion of Super-Heroes.
What I’m least certain about right now is the damage done by damage-doing moves. I’ve been testing it out and it seems to do okay, but I am sure there are things I’m missing. Be gentle, but be clear, so I can make it better.
Well, we came back around at the barbarian from another angle, and we’re pretty happy with how it turned out!
Well, we came back around at the barbarian from another angle, and we’re pretty happy with how it turned out!
After a few different approaches (mighty emotions, damage-spurred power) we arrived at the barbarian as someone with a hunger—for power, for blood, for those things humans crave. That burning desire (and the boldness to follow it) is what makes them powerful.
That power comes in the form of rolling d6+d8 instead of 2d6 when making a move to pursue their appetites. While this isn’t something we’ve done before in DW, I’m pretty happy with it—it works out to be like a +1 bonus, but with much more variability. A 2 is still an option, but so is an unmodified 14!
Take a look and see what you think.
I want to share a base class I came up with and hopefully get some feedback (also, it’s apparently pretty good, so…
I want to share a base class I came up with and hopefully get some feedback (also, it’s apparently pretty good, so I’m hopefully giving you something to use in your next campaign).
This is already published through Brandon Schmelz’s Funhaver Games/Industries so I don’t know if I’ll be able to do major alterations, but all criticism is definitely welcome. Please let me know what you think!
(Also, not sure what’s up with the floating dots on the first page or the white border around the class image, and Google Docs has issues with the fonts – I’d recommend downloading it for best effect.)
I’ve written up a base class for my Sword & Planet DW hack, Rocketeer World – the Warrior.
I’ve written up a base class for my Sword & Planet DW hack, Rocketeer World – the Warrior. It takes some inspiration from the Gladiator written by Travis Stout, but it’s mainly its own thing, and could work perfectly well with a bit of a tweak in a vanilla DW game.
I’m looking for any feedback on the mechanics or concept that people would like to provide…
Adam and I are definitely in the “retreat and think” stage of making the barbarian now, but I wanted to post some…
Adam and I are definitely in the “retreat and think” stage of making the barbarian now, but I wanted to post some follow up thoughts in the interest of showing people what our design process is like.
As usual, I’ve fallen out of love with an idea I thought was killer. Heedless dice have some issues. Some of those could be fixed, sure, but the really problematic one is that they’re reactive.
The barbarian is all about being an active force. They upset the order, do the unexpected, and are generally unpredictable. Making their signature move something that was reactive just doesn’t sit right.
Thanks to all the threads over the last few days I think we’re narrowing in on something cool, with a core idea of what the barbarian is that I think is pretty solid. Thanks!
I have been working on this with the help of several people; And am interested in fleshing this out more.
I have been working on this with the help of several people; And am interested in fleshing this out more.
Mountebank
Everyone wants to believe something, and you capitalize on that. Subterfuge and persuasion are your weapons of choice. You have spent hours honing your skills of deception and suggestion, deftly mixing aptitude and confidence to achieve your goals.
Names
Halfling: Abe, Linda, Hank, Penny
Human: Saros, Jezel,
I need some names
Look
Choose one for each:
– Shifty eyes, Laughing eyes, or Trusting eyes
– Fancy hair, Cropped hair, or Messy hair
– Clean clothes, Traveling clothes, or Common clothes
– Well-fed body, Attractive body, or Thin body
Stats
Your maximum hit points is 6+Constitution.
Your base damage is d6.
Alignment
Chaotic – Capitalize on confusion and misdirection
Neutral – Avoid the consequences of a brazen lie
Evil – Manipulate others for your personal gain
Gear
Your Load is 9+STR. You start with one dungeon rations (5 uses, 1 weight), leather armor (1 armor, 1 weight) and 7 coin.
Choose your treasure:
– A forged letter of marquis
– A fair maiden’s favor
– A ducal ring, obviously not yours
– A treasure map you conned from an angry dwarf
– A letter of credit from a crime lord
Choose your arms:
– Ragged hand crossbow (Near, reload, 1 weight), bundle of arrows (3 ammo, 1 weight) and short sword (Close, 1 weight)
– Rapier (close, precise, 1 weight)
Choose one:
– Adventuring gear (5 uses, 1 weight)
– Bandages (3 uses, slow 0 weight)
– Halfling pipeleaf (5 uses, 1 weight)
Bonds
_____________ still believes every word I say.
_____________ and I have narrowly escaped an angry victim of our con.
_____________ has a secret that I will uncover.
_____________ has thus far kept quiet about past indiscretions of mine.
Starting Moves
Choose a race and gain the corresponding move:
Halfling – When you bluff someone, on a hit you may take from them a small item. The GM will tell you what you get.
Human – When you attack a staggered or confused opponent, deal +1d6 damage.
Slippery Egress – When you attempt to slink away, Roll+CHA. ✴10+ you’re gone. ✴7-9, you can stay or go, but if you go it costs you: leave something behind, or take something with you, the GM will tell you what. On a miss, you’re caught vulnerable, half in and half out.
Feint – When you attempt to sucker an intelligent foe in combat, Roll+CHA. ✴10+ pick 2. ✴7-9 pick 1 but you take the sucker’s damage.
– The mark slips and staggers
– You press the mark into an ally’s waiting attack
– An ally takes +1 forward against the mark
Bluff – When you attempt to convince a GM’s character of something plausible, Roll+CHA. ✴10+, they believe you. Their belief counts as leverage. ✴7-9, they believe you though your lie is flimsy. Their belief counts as leverage for the time being. Choose 1:
Once they have time to think about it, they’ll see holes in your story.
If someone else hears the story, they’ll start asking question.
Advanced Moves
When you gain a level from 2–5, choose from these moves.
Alter Ego – With a week of intense introspection and practice, you can craft a personal alter ego that has its own look, clothing, and mannerisms. With a few seconds of concentration you can change to or from an alter ego. You may only have one crafted alter ego at a time. When you first take this move, describe the alter ego you just finished crafting.
Nondetection – Attempts to magically divine your location, thoughts, or alignment return no information.
Cold Read – When you briefly converse with someone, you may ask the character’s player one of the following questions:
– What here has caught your attention?
– Who here do you most want to interact with?
– Who here do you most want to avoid?
– What one word best describes a secret you are carrying?
Slippery Mind – When you are the target of an enchantment of the mind, you may choose to immediately dispel it without effect.
Noble Mien When you use an Alter Ego that has authority over your mark, take +1 ongoing to Bluff them.
Savage Cunning You can use Bluff and Feint on any creature with animal intellect or higher.
Partner in Crime When someone Aids your Bluff by acting like the shill or straight man, take +2 instead of +1.
Play Possum When you are successfully attacked, you can Feint to convince your attacker they have felled you. If you do, they turn their back on and ignore you. Of course no one goes for this more than once.
Multiclass Dabbler – Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.
Confounding Feint – Add the following to your Feint options.
– The mark stands there and drools helplessly for a few seconds
When you gain a level from 6–10, choose from these moves or the level 2–5 moves.
Cheat Death – Your skills as a liar are legendary, and even Death itself can be fooled. When you would roll for your Last Breath, roll Bluff instead. Your days are numbered, because Death will figure you out sooner or later, but you may just manage to stay alive long enough to figure something else out.
Inceptive Bluff – when you bluff on a 12+ they strongly believe and will convince others of this belief.
Multiple Egos Requires: Alter Ego – You may craft a second alter ego. You may only have two alter egos.
Probe Thoughts: Replaces: Cold Read – As Read Thoughts, but you may ask 2 questions instead of one.
Falsify Detection Replaces: Nondetection – When someone attempts to magically divine your location, thoughts, or alignment, you may choose the answer they receive.
Misdirecting Mind Requires: Slippery Mind – When you are target of an enchantment of the mind, you may choose someone, other than the caster to instead be affected by the enchantment.
Hide in Plain Sight – So long as you remain quiet and mostly still, mundane creatures will overlook you.
Barbed Feint – When you feint on a 12+ you may also deal your damage.
Multiclass Master – Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.
(Originally posted at http://apocalypse-world.com/forums/index.php?topic=5912.0)
The Barbarian
The Barbarian
Adam Koebel and I have been working on the barbarian now that most of the backer supplement stuff is tied up. Here’s our current version. What do you think? (All move names are definitely placeholders.)
Starting Moves
Musclebound
Weapons you wield gain the forceful and messy tags in your hands.
Heedless
When you take damage from an enemy, mark the dice rolled to determine that damage here:
d4
d6
d8
d10
d12
These are your heedless dice. You can never have more heedless dice than your Con. If you already have heedless dice equal to your Con and you would gain more, you choose which dice to keep.
Power Down
When you show compassion, receive healing, eat, drink, or sleep, you lose all your heedless dice.
Hulk Out
When you deal damage, after you roll you can choose to spend a heedless die to deal damage equal to the die’s size instead (4 damage for a d4, 6 damage for a d6, etc.).
SMASH!
You may spend a heedless die of at least d8 size to completely destroy any non-magical inanimate item that is smaller than a horse. A big horse, too, not one of those puny elf-horses or anything.
Samson
You may spend a d8 or larger heedless die to break free of any physical or mental restraint.
Mobile
As long as you wear no armor or shield you have 1 armor.
Advanced Moves
What Are You Waiting For?!
When you cry out a challenge to your enemies, roll+CHA.
On a 10+ they treat you as the most obvious threat to be dealt with and ignore your companions, take +1 ongoing to damage dealt to them. On a 7-9 only a few (the weakest or most foolhardy among them) fall prey to your taunting.
My Love For You is Like a Truck
When you impress someone with feats of martial strength, take +1 ongoing to Parley with them.
Appetite for Destruction
Take a move from the Fighter class list.
Completely Heedless
You can have heedless dice equal to your Con+1.
Too Angry To Die
When you take your last breath if you have no heedless dice you treat a 6- as a 7–9 instead.
What Is Best In Life
At the end of a session, if this session you have crushed your enemies, seen them driven before you, or have heard the lamentations of their kin mark XP.
MORE POWER
When you make a Str or Con roll you can spend a heedless die of size d8 or larger to take +1 on the roll.
A Good Day to Die
When you have have more heedless dice than HP, take +1 ongoing
Fearless
You do not feel fear. Any spell, effect, or manipulation based on fear doesn’t work on you.
Travelled
You’ve travelled the wide world over. When you arrive someplace ask the GM about any important traditions, rituals, and so on, they’ll tell you what you need to know.
Even More Heedless
You can have heedless dice equal to your Con+2.
Kill ‘em All
Choose another move from the Fighter class list.